Even If You Cry
by SUGARCOMACUPCAKE
Summary: Hanji approaches Levi after the death of his squad. (Levi x Hanji oneshot)


When Hanji heard the news, she was shocked to say the least. Many thoughts crossed her titan-filled head. However, those thoughts don't matter now. Because those thoughts were in the past. The scouting legion has returned only hours ago and it's been horrible. The same mumbles of,

"They're a bunch of fools. This is what they get for going outside."

"This is what our taxes are being used for?"

Most of the soldiers were used to it, Levi included. Eren, the only one who'd probably spit something back, is too traumatized to do so. That doesn't mean the words don't hurt. Hanji knows it takes more than words to hurt Levi. He was his same stoic self through all of the chatter. Even when talking to Petra's father, knowing his daughter had died under his command, there was nothing. This is all normal. Hanji knows, however, that this time it has to be different. Levi had never had a squad survive this long. He'd never gotten quite so close to a squad. Hanji even suspects he may have had feelings for Petra. He'd never lost everything at once. Usually they'd die, one by one. But from what Hanji heard, he found them all brutally murdered. The messenger looked too sick to give even minor details of their remains. Levi knows there's much work and planning to do, and they don't have much time to do it. Hanji is perfectly aware of this as well, as she is aware of a lot of things. One of them being that everybody has a breaking point. After long discussions about Annie being the female titan, (in which Levi didn't do as much as flinch) and how to capture her, Armin and Erwin announce they need time to make a plan. Everyone goes back to the mess hall to eat, cry or just think. Everyone except for Levi. Despite how poorly he treats her, Hanji does consider Levi her best friend. Though they may not show it often, pretty much everyone who's been here longer than a few months knew this. Friends worry about friends. Especially best friends. Hanji creeps to the corporal's room, slightly pushing the door open.

"Levi?"

She calls out in her loud, almost obnoxious voice.

"What is it, four-eyes?"

"Can I come in?"

"As long as you don't talk about your stupid experiments. I swear, I don't really think anyone cares about whether a titan likes lima beans or green beans better."

"But Levi! We have astounding evidence showing that a titan will spit out green beans .674 times faster on average!"

Hanji steps inside, Levi barely turns his head to glare in her general direction. This is expected, but what isn't expected is the glass Levi's gripping tightly in his hand.

"Did you not hear what I just said?"

"Levi what's that?"

"It's whiskey, idiot. You want some?"

"No, we're not supposed to drink."

"Tch, as if anyone's going to follow that rule tonight. That was hell out there. Especially with the new recruits."

He takes a sip.

"What if something happens?"

Hanji has tried to reason with Levi before, and sometimes, depending on the situation, she's been successful. This doesn't seem to be one of those times.

"Does it look like I care if something happens at this point? We've lost enough people as it is. We wouldn't be able to do anything anyway."

Hanji's eyebrows rise. These words are very unlike her short friend. Something's definitely off. She has scientist instincts. Her gaze meets the bottle of whiskey on the desk Levi's sitting at. A bottle opener sits nearby, suggesting it had only been recently opened. The amount of whiskey left seemed too much for if the glass had only been filled once. Knowing she's not going to be able to convince him otherwise, and being content with the fact that she didn't have the strength to steal the alcoholic substance, she simply sits in another chair somewhere in the room.

"Are you ok?"

She asks, a small shake in her tone.

"Do you think I'm freaking ok?"

Each mouthful of that awful liquid is slowly morphing Levi into a different person. Normally, he wouldn't reveal anything about how he's feeling.

"That's why I came here."

"Dangit, Hanji…"

He grumbles before refilling his cup once again. Hanji could see the little things nobody else bothered to acknowledge. His shaking fingers, the (very) slight tremble in his voice. For a moment the brunette wonders.

_If it takes more than words to hurt Levi, would it take more than words to heal him?_

She pushes her glasses up her nose and stands up.

"Are you finally leaving? Your presence is giving me a migraine."

Doubts bounce every which way in Hanji's skull. She needs to do this. She's been planning this moment, contemplating her words for so long now. Everything is absolutely perfect. She pulls Levi up from him chair.

"What the heck do you think you're-"

She throws her arms around him and whispers ever so softly into his ear,

"Even if you cry, you're still humanity's strongest."

The final moment of hesitation hits the pair like a typhoon. Levi goes completely still in her grasp. She doesn't look at his face, it might hurt too much. The corporal breaks down. The beautiful breaking point has been reached. He grips onto the back of her jacket and sobs.


End file.
